Rumah Gadang

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The rumah gadang (Minangkabau, "big house") is the traditional house (Indonesian: "rumah adat") of the Minangkabau. With the Minangkabau society being matrilineal, the rumah gadang is owned by the women of the family who live there - ownership is passed from mother to daughter. One of the larger examples of the Rumah Gadang architectural style is the Pagaruyung Palace near Batusangkar.

A rumah gadang is a long house with multiple gables and upsweeping ridges, forming buffalo horn-like ends. Unlike the Toba Batak homes, where the roof essentially creates the living space, the Minangkabau roof rests on conventional walls. The front and side walls contain shuttered windows and display floral carvings. The colours are mainly red and white (favoured by Chinese) with the motifs similar to those of the Minangkabau songket. The roof is a a truss and cross-beam construction and is thatched with ijuk (sugar palm fibre).

[edit] References

• Dawson, B., Gillow, J., The Traditional Architecture of Indonesia, 1994 Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, ISBN 0-500-34132-X